Best Single Brew Coffee Makers
There’s nothing better than a cup freshly brewed coffee to begin the day. We like single-brew coffee makers due to this reason.
Think about what is the most important for your brewing needs, and what features you think are frills. Our criteria include a big water reservoir, multiple brew settings, and the possibility to use coffee pods that are reusable.
1. Do you prefer capsules or ground coffee?
Depending on your preference You may decide to choose a model which makes coffee using ground beans or coffee pods. While we have a few models that use only coffee pods in our roundup, most can accommodate both. This versatility makes them a great option for those who like having a variety of options at hand.
Nespresso’s Vertuo Plus is an excellent example. It’s part of the brand’s newest Vertuoline and offers a one-touch reliable system that produces excellent espresso shots and brewed coffee. It’s also the most efficient machine in our tests and comes with recyclable capsules that are more friendly to the environment than K-Cups.
If you prefer to use ground coffee, the Cuisinart Grind & Brew is a fantastic alternative. It uses an integrated conical burr grinder to create freshly-ground coffee, and it offers three brewing sizes that are preseteight, ten, and twelve ounces. It’s more expensive than some single-serve options in our selection but it’s one of the best tasting models we’ve tested.
The Instant Pot Dual Pod Plus which is our runner-up, is a great option for those who want to be able to use both types of pods or grounds. It’s a versatile device that can brew with Keurig K-Cups, original Nespresso pods, and also the company’s own compostable capsules (though they require an industrial composting facility). It also produces some of the most popular coffees of any machine we’ve tested as well as offering a variety of additional functions, including hot water for tea as well as a milk frother.
2. Does it have a large reservoir of water?
The best single-brew coffee maker comes with a large reservoir that can easily meet your requirements. This will ensure that your machine doesn’t constantly running out of water, which can affect the quality of your brew. When choosing a coffee maker, the amount of water that is in the reservoir is crucial. It will determine the frequency at which you will need to refill and empty the tank.
The BLACK+DECKER Compact Single-Serve Coffee Maker is a great choice for anyone who is seeking a user-friendly machine that won’t break their bank. It can make the perfect cup of coffee in just two minutes, and can be programmed to brew for up to 24 hours in advance. This is great for people who are always on the move. This machine has a compact design that is perfect for the countertop, and is the cheapest of our top picks. It also produces the most hot coffee of the bunch and has a built-in travel mug for ease of use. It didn’t do as well as the other brewers that we tested but its water reservoir was relatively small.
If you’re willing a small amount more, our upgrade option the Keurig K-Supreme Smart Single-Serve Coffee Maker has an excellent design and features that stand out in our testing. It offers fast brewing times and high temperatures for coffee, and the option of three sizes of brew, and is extremely simple to use. Its only downside is that you need to remove it for a period of time which can be a hassle for those who drink a lot of coffee.
3. Does it have multiple brew settings?
The top single-brew coffee maker comes with a variety of settings, which include different sizes, styles and quantities of drinks and the capability to make a cold brew. This allows you to customize your drink to exactly how you like it. You can also reduce time by skipping the process of boiling and steeping your coffee grounds in hot water. This method also makes use of cooler water, which can help preserve the flavor of your coffee.
Epi’s reviews editor Noah Kaufman is a big fan of the single serve coffee machine reviews-serve Bruvi coffee maker because it offers a variety of one-touch brewing options to allow you to make the perfect cup coffee, whether you prefer a less acidic drink or an espresso-like shot with ice. The Bruvi also has an brewing option which takes longer than a typical speedy brew, but is worth the wait for a smooth, smooth cup.
In our tests, the Bruvi consistently brewed the hottest and most consistent cup of coffee among the single coffee maker-serve machines that we tried. Its brewing process and timer are simple to program and it keeps your beverage hot for up to four hours. The Bruvi features an option for cold brew that adjusts temperature and brew times to create a deliciously cool beverage.
Another notable feature was the Breville Precision Brewer, which has six brewing modes, including Gold Fast, Strong and Iced. The Gold brew setting follows Specialty Coffee Association guidelines for the perfect cup of coffee, while the other settings are all customizable so you can tailor your experience to meet your preferences. The Breville Precision is narrower than many single-serve coffee brewers that we tested. This helped it to keep its brew temperature constant and increase the saturation of the coffee and an even extraction of the beans.
4. Does it come with an automatic cleaning feature?
The best single-cup machines have an automatic cleaning feature that cleans the machine. This eliminates any used K-Cup pods and grounds after every use. Certain models even notify you of the need for a cleaning cycle. It is important to read the manual for the user or the manufacturer’s website for specific guidelines as different machines come with different cleaning techniques.
The single-serve espresso maker from Bruvi is among the best single brew coffee maker we’ve ever used. It features an easy, intuitive interface, produces great coffee, and requires little maintenance. It has a large water reservoir and can be used to brew hot or iced coffee. It comes with a variety of one-touch options including low acid, Americano and cold brew. It takes longer to brew when compared to other models. However, this is only a minor flaw in a product that is otherwise great.
This coffee maker is a budget pick because it’s cheap and produces a fantastic cup of coffee. It comes with an adjustable water tank of 40 ounces that can be used for both K-Cups and ground coffee. Its user manual includes detailed instructions on taking the reservoir off, emptying and refilling it, and for regular descaling. It can brew any kind of coffee, which is not the case with other single-cup machines.
This coffee maker is perfect for those who appreciate the convenience of single-serve K-Cups but dislike the taste or the waste that comes with their waste or taste. It has a spacious water tank as well as a grinder built-in that makes it easy to create an excellent cup of coffee from ground beans. It comes with a variety of options for brewing, including bold and over-ice. It can also be used with reused K-Cups and the brand’s recyclable pods. It also comes with a steam button for tea and a foldaway milk frother.
5. Can it be programmed?
The best coffee maker that can be programmed allows you to set it the night before to awake to a cup of freshly brewed, hot coffee. This is especially convenient for those in a hurry or who don’t want to use a pour-over or Moka pot.
The majority of coffee makers that can be programmed provide a basic timer for 24 hours, but should you want more advanced features, you may think about the De’Longhi COM532, which is our favorite pod-based single serve coffee-cup machine. It comes with a touchscreen with multiple settings that let you customize your coffee to the kind you like, including brewing temperature and strength. The machine is pricey, but it produces the most hot coffee of any of our machines we tested and its carafe is able to keep it at a perfect drinking temperature for over an hour after brewing.
Black + Decker Classic single coffee machine-serve coffeemaker is a budget-friendly and programable machine that can be programmed. It’s easy to use, has a compact footprint, and is compatible with ESE pods (Eco-friendly single-serve). It scored well in our taste test, brews fast, and has a dishwasher-safe water tank.
If you are tired of pre-packaged pods and would like to save more money, the single-cup or manual drip brewer is a great option. You can grind your beans yourself to get a fresher taste and more control over the flavor of your beverage. It’s more time-consuming than using a machine that utilizes pods, but if are a fan of coffee, it might be worth the effort. To get regular results make sure you weigh your coffee grounds and beans on a scale instead measuring volume.